.: Round The Bays

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Round The Bays

A couple of weeks ago we participated in the 'Around the Bays' walk along Auckland's beautiful waterfront. The road constantly curves in an 'S' shape from one bay to the next. There's big beautiful trees, lots of yachts on the harbour to look at and lots of parks and cafes along the way.

This was the second time we've done this walk and we've kind of made it a family tradition (as have many Aucklanders). It is organized by Auckland City to raise money for charities and organizations. If you want to compete then you have to register and pay $15, but since we were doing it just for fun we didn't have to pay. The roads are closed off so you can walk on them. People who are walking the race stay on the left and the runners who are competing, run on the right. Even people who are in wheelchairs can participate and get a fifteen minute head start.

Every year there are just over 70,000 people!!!! It is so fun to walk alongside thousands of other mum's and dad's with their kids. When the race begins and the gun shot is fired it takes about 20 minutes to get moving and to have room to walk because there are so many people, but half an hour into the race the crowd really thins out. Kids can take bikes and scooters if they want to.

We did the walk at a fairly fast pace and it took us 2 hours. Hayden kept up the whole way with no complaining (he did great and the snacks I'd packed were a really good incentive for him to keep his speed up). Ashton also did really well walking a lot of the way, although every 20 minutes Tony had to carry him on his shoulders to give his little legs a rest. And Noah got the luxury of being pushed in the stroller and being thoroughly entertained by all the little kids walking around him.
I decided to pack some Skittles and every 10 minutes Ashton would tell me he needed one to keep him going.

The walk was 8.4kms (5 miles). When we got to the finish line we discovered it cost $24 to catch the bus back and we didn't have enough money. So we also walked half way back... pretty good for our little family!!! Halfway back Tony had a very smart idea to stop at Kelly Tarltons (Underground Aquarium) to catch their free shuttle the rest of the way. It's a good thing he knew about the shuttle because I had a couple of big blisters by that point and Hayden was completely fed up with walking.

Me, Hayden, Noah and Ashton approaching the finish line;

On our walk back Noah fell asleep in the bottom of the stroller;

2 comments:

Nana said...: Good on you for doing this - what great fun for a family outing and wonderful exercise for all. By the way your new blog looks great! I always look forward to your updates even though I know what you get up to (well, most of the time anyway). Those kids are so darn cute!!!; March 29, 2010 at 2:54 PM
Jen said...: THIS post INSPIRES me! I don't know if our kids would even walk a mile. YAY for the NIZETICH FAM!; March 29, 2010 at 4:41 PM

Funny Comments

Ashton walking into the supermarket quietly whispers to himself: "Please can I have macaroni and cheese, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Ashton: "I want to live with Jesus." Mummy: "Why?" Ashton: "Because he be nice to me and he gives me bread and water!"

Mummy, examining Ashton's legs, and thinking: My goodness, what hairy legs. Ashton, unimpressed with Mummy's examination, pulls away: "Don't touch them. I'm growing Daddy legs!"

Hayden gets upset at Ashton: "Right Ashton, that's it! I'm telling Jesus on you!"

Ashton with a cold: "I'm snotty as a piggy."

Hayden: "The sun is burning my eyeballs."

Hayden: "Mummy, how come your penis is missing?"

Hayden: "I get the bigger piece of cake because my skeleton is bigger."

Hayden (3yrs old) sees me get dressed in the morning and stares at my breasts with a confused look..."What thooooose be for???"

Hayden: "I don't want to finish my pizza, it's got blood all over it."

Hayden: "Ashton hit me in the heart."

Hayden learns the planets at Preschool: Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Penus!

Hayden (shopping with me and whining): "My brain hurts forever because you haven't buyed me anything."

QUOTES

Like the changing leaves of fall...My little boy is now a man.
--Author Unknown

Boys are God's way of telling you that your house is too neat!
--Author Unknown

There never has been, nor will there ever be, anything quite so special as the love between a mother and a son.
--Author Unknown

Boys are found everywhere - on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.
--Alan Marshall Beck

Something For A Giggle....

I Owe My Mother ....

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mother taught me LOGIC. " Because I said so, that's why."

My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING. "You are going to get it when you get home!"

My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

My mother taught me ESP. "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."

My mother taught me about my ROOTS. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!